40 Under 40 Awards 2010

Since 1998, Long Island Business News has taken nominations for outstanding members of the business community on Long Island who are under the age of 40. The event has grown from a gathering of 60 people introducing themselves in a small restaurant to more than 700 at the Island’s largest catering hall. Awardees in this program represent entrepreneurs, government, education, law, banking, not-for-profits and the high-tech industry. One of the year’s most popular signature events, this is the ultimate for networking and business development – no other program gets you in front of the real future leaders of Long Island.

Kevan AbrahamsNassau County LegislatureDeputy Presiding Officer of the Nassau County Legislature Kevan Abrahams is serving his fourth full term as the representative from the 1st Legislative District. When first elected in 2002, Abrahams was 27 years old and the youngest legislator ever elected to the Nassau County Legislature and the youngest African American elected in New York. He was named deputy presiding officer of the Legislature in 2007.

Abrahams joined the county Legislature as deputy finance director in 2000, eventually advancing to the position of finance director. Prior to this, he served as a legislative assistant and deputy district director for Congressman Floyd H. Flake and as a district representative for Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy. Helping businesses grow and assisting neighborhoods with revitalization projects are among his top priorities. One of the first bills he signed into law was the minority women and business enterprise law, which states the county must put forth its best effort to give 15 percent of its contracts to minority and women-owned businesses. Abrahams has consistently called for the equitable allocation of Community Development Block Grant funds to improve areas within Roosevelt and Uniondale. He has also approved agreements with the Long Island Housing Partnership for the development of affordable housing units. He strives to educate and protect taxpayers, encouraging homeowners to attend free attorney-led mortgage foreclosure clinics sponsored by the Nassau County Bar Association.

Abrahams has stood unwavering in his support to fund health and human services. He is outspoken against gang violence and has joined community leaders and anti-gang advocates to provide safer outlets for young people. He has also sponsored several laws to protect children against sex offenders and co-sponsored laws tightening Internet safety and the county’s social host law that holds homeowners responsible for underage drinking at their home. Additionally, he mentors interns in his legislative office throughout the year. Abrahams is also involved with The Energeia Partnership, where Long Island leaders take action on behalf of justice, the dignity of the human person and the protection of natural resources. Abrahams earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Queens College. He also attended Baruch College’s MBA Program.

Ryan AlovisArkNet MediaWhile many young professionals are seeking jobs in today’s tight market, Ryan Alovis, founder and chief executive of ArkNet Media, is creating jobs and opportunities. In 2005, having recently graduated from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Alovis launched ArkNet Media, a leading interactive agency that builds, owns and operates Web sites.

With a core focus on e-commerce and attention to detail, Valley Stream-based ArkNet Media has become the preeminent destination for the ultimate online experience. He launched MagazineDiscountCenter.com in partnership with Time, Inc. with just one employee, and today, MagazineDiscountCenter.com is one of the fastest growing online consumer magazine subscription services with seven employees and yearly revenue of more than $1 million. Alovis also established BirthdayPartyBooker.com, an online party planning concierge service helping people plan events and celebrations in New York City, which has been featured in CitySearch, Star magazine, EXTRA! and Thrillist. Knowing that the Internet is a preferred channel of growth for most businesses, he was also instrumental in ArkNet Media’s majority ownership acquisition in LensDirect.com, a leading contact lens provider.

Alovis mentors his employees in all aspects of the business. His management style and mentoring philosophy are rooted in the belief that each employee is a member of the family and each member must play his or her part to ensure success. In 2006, he established the Silver Lining Society as a commitment to making a difference in the lives of children with cancer whose families have neither the resources nor the support to obtain potentially life-saving treatment. Through various events, SLS raises money for the Hope and Heroes Children’s Cancer Fund at Columbia University Medical Center. Under his leadership as chairman, SLS has raised $250,000 and is one of the fastest-growing fundraising organizations on the East Coast.

Lori AndradeSustainable Long IslandLori Andrade has been making a difference in the world since high school when she began running communitywide food drives and marched in Washington, D.C., against national hunger and homelessness. Today, Andrade is director of development and communications at Bethpage-based Sustainable Long Island, which promotes economic development, environmental health and equity for all Long Islanders.

Since joining Sustainable Long Island in 2006, Andrade has shown exemplary leadership in expanding the organization’s relationships with corporations across Long Island, bolstering its reputation and tripling the number of supporters to advance the organization’s mission to transform the region. Through the development of Long Island’s first regional conference to be held this April at Stony Brook University, she built relationships with the Island’s green businesses listed in the Directory of Sustainable Businesses. As an undergraduate at Cornell University, Andrade studied policy analysis, determined to find long-term solutions to pressing problems in health care and welfare.

Wanting to help more impoverished communities, she left the United States to live in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico for four years. During this time, she earned a master’s degree in international business administration through an international program from Central Michigan University in Guadalajara, Mexico, and in her spare time, taught English and worked with the U.S. State Department. Upon her return to the United States, she joined Planned Parenthood of New York City’s International Department, ready to once again make a difference. Andrade is a volunteer at local organizations such as Residents for a More Beautiful Syosset, Girl Scouts of Suffolk County, Syosset School District and serves as a committee member of the Long Island Fund for Women and Girls’ Annual Breakfast.

Robert C. AngelilloMeyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, P.C.Robert C. Angelillo was named partner at Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, P.C. in 2009, making him the youngest member of the firm. He practices general commercial litigation, in­cluding construction law and disability benefits litigation. Angelillo joined Garden City’s Meyer, Suozzi as an associate in its litigation department in 2003, and, prior to joining the firm, served as a law clerk to the Hon. Arlene R. Lindsay, U.S. Magistrate Judge, Eastern District of New York, from 1999 to 2000.

Angelillo is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Nassau County Bar Association’s Construction Law Committee and the Long Island Contractors Association. He is also a member of the Theodore Roosevelt American Inns of Court. He has conducted seminars on construction law at the New York State Chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors and has been a guest speaker at the Jamaica Business Resource Center. A contributor to McGraw-Hill’s New York Construction magazine, New York Law Journal and Nassau Lawyer, Angelillo is also a co-founder of the Next Generation Professional Networking Group, a networking organization of young professionals on the move in leading professional services firms on Long Island.

An avid runner, he competes in many benefit runs including the Bayville 5K Breast Cancer Benefit Run for the Women’s Center at Huntington Hospital, where he took first place in the 35-39 men’s division in 2008. He is a soccer coach in the North Bellmore PAL system and a consistent supporter of the regional blood center, having donated blood since 2000. The son of author Phillip Angelillo, who published “Short Bike Rides on Long Island,” he has always enjoyed spending time with his father biking on the Island. Angelillo earned a bachelor’s degree in history from SUNY Binghamton and obtained a juris doctor from Brooklyn Law School. He was admitted to practice law in New York in 1999, New Jersey in 2001 and the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York in 1999 and the District of New Jersey in 2001.

Michael BrennanFREE/National Institute for Human PotentialMichael Brennan was born with Down Syndrome. After he learned to walk, he quickly learned to run and has never stopped. He attended an early intervention program through the Association for Children with Down Syndrome until he was five years old and a special education program through the Rockville Centre School District until he was 21. He participated in as many activities as he possibly could, with a definite penchant for sports. As a Special Olympics athlete, Brennan was the sole representative from Nassau County competing for New York State in the 1999 World Special Olympics in Raleigh, North Carolina, winning a Gold Medal for speed roller skating.

Brennan inspires those around him and leads his peers by example. He has competed in soccer, swimming, track and golf, is an avid skier and, in addition to sports, served on his high school’s student council. His real passion, though, is dancing and singing. During high school, he participated in theatre programs, landing roles in Guys and Dolls, Once on an Island and How to Succeed in Business and is active in the Town of Hempstead Drama Program. He has also competed in and won several talent shows for dancing. In 2005, Brennan joined the Family Residences and Essential Enterprises’ Theatre Day Hab program and has been an active participant in the FREE Players ensemble, performing in all of their productions in both starring and supporting roles. He has also appeared with the FREE Players on several major television networks performing Michael Jackson’s Thriller and many other pieces. Most recently, he was asked to participate in Blindsided, a film produced by a Columbia University graduate film student.

Brennan’s most important role, however, will be as an advocate for the rights of individuals with disabilities. He works as an intern with the director of gift planning, the director of development and the development staff at FREE, attending numerous fundraising, networking and other special events. He speaks and works tirelessly as an advocate for the programs at FREE and for all individuals with special needs. Brennan enjoys life to the fullest and spending time with his peers and friends.

Allison BuninNorth Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
Allison Bunin has transformed employee communications during her tenure with North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, where she serves as corporate director of employee communications. Since joining North Shore-LIJ in 2007, she has developed and implemented several initiatives that have resulted in positive change for the organization. As head of communications for 38,000 employees, she is responsible for supporting senior leadership and the goals of the organization, as well as serving as employee advocate.

To ensure North Shore-LIJ employees connect with the organization’s goals and vision, Bunin created an award-winning multimedia campaign to educate existing and newly hired employees. The campaign included print pieces, a Web site and video featuring real employees depicting North Shore-LIJ’s vision and values. “Vision in Motion” was launched in 2008 and has received multiple awards for communications excellence. She was also charged with creating a new, more effective orientation process for new employees. As a result, she created the online orientation program, Beginnings, which uses engaging and interactive learning tools to educate employees about various compliance-driven materials before they attend orientation. This online tutorial is comprised of videos and interactive exercises geared to emphasize the role that each employee plays in delivering an exceptional patient experience and resulted in more efficient programs by reducing the amount of time a new employee spends at orientation.

Bunin has created marketing and public relations materials to heighten the awareness of the Plainview Fire Department’s fire safety and prevention events, and has generated new volunteer members by creating membership and recruitment materials. She has also raised participation and media attention for a new cancer awareness event in the hope of finding a cure for cancer. Prior to joining North Shore-LIJ, Bunin was assistant vice president of communications at Deutsche Bank in New York City. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, Arizona State University, and attended Columbia University’s Strategic Communications Graduate Program.

Robert BurnsColdwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Robert Burns is the Regional Vice President of Field Operations for Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in the firm’s Commack headquarters. He began his real estate career in South Minneapolis with Coldwell Banker Burnet Realty in early 2001. As he was building his real estate sales business, Burns was also beginning a career in real estate education. While actively selling real estate, Burns held teaching positions with Minneapolis-based Coldwell Banker Burnet, which is affiliated with Kaplan Professional Schools in Minneapolis, as well as Web-based eNeighborhoods.

Because of his excellence in the classroom, he was approached by many real estate agents seeking a coach for their businesses and Burns realized that hands-on, individual attention geared towards an individual’s specific goals was the most effective method for helping people move their real estate careers to new levels. This philosophy has been the foundation for his actions in every position he has held since. A national speaker on the real estate industry, Burns has served as a trainer and director of education, and held leadership positions as regional vice president of sales and field operations during his real estate career. His individual, hands-on approach has enabled him to truly make a difference for the thousands of real estate sales associates, branch managers, brokers and employees with whom he has had the opportunity to work. He resides in Hauppauge, with his wife Crystal, his two year old son Braden, and his two dogs – Dexter, the Yellow Labrador, and Hexie, the German Shepherd. In his free time, Burns enjoys cycling with his son and any other activity that takes him outdoors with his family.

Anne Marie CaliendoWilliam Floyd School DistrictReturning from an eight-week maternity leave, Anne Marie Caliendo was appointed assistant superintendent for business in the William Floyd School District. Prior to this 2006 appointment, Caliendo served as the district’s assistant business administrator and purchasing agent. As the district’s chief financial officer, Caliendo serves as the steward for $195 million budget, which is under the scrutiny of internal claims auditors, and internal and external auditors on a regular basis.

She spearheads the ongoing management of a $56 million capital improvement project approved in a voter referendum in 2007, and continues to save WFSD more than $1 million annually on its general liability and property insurance program as a result of an in-depth analysis of current programs and practices and the ultimate migration to new carriers. She developed the foundation of the district’s “Floyd Gets Fit!” transformation where only healthy foods and environmentally green paper goods are available in the district’s eight cafeterias. Additionally, she is credited with negotiating transportation contracts with vendors to ensure maximum cost savings to the district while managing to continue exemplary service standards. Caliendo also serves as secretary for the Public School Trust, a self-insured workers’ compensation consortium. As a leader in the organization, she has the ability to directly impact the direction of the fund and takes a role in such decisions as investments and contribution rates.

In 2009, she was appointed to the executive board of the Suffolk Association of School Business Officials, which conducts meetings, training and professional development seminars, allowing Caliendo to have a positive impact beyond the WFSD. She earned a bachelor of business administration degree with honors from Adelphi University; an MBA with distinction from Hofstra University; and an Administrator Professional degree from Long Island University’s C.W. Post Campus School of Business. Caliendo has volunteered at the Make-A-Wish Foundation as a fundraiser, mentor, wish granter and public speaker, and continues to support the organization. She also founded and managed the Jason B. Silver Trust Fund and Annual Volleyball Tournament, raising $60,000 for the victim of a terrible accident and his family.

Scott ClarkeErnst & Young LLPScott Clarke is an Assurance and Advisory Business Services Partner at Ernst & Young LLP, one of the world’s leading professional service firms. Since joining the firm in 1995, Clarke has primarily served Long Island clients in the consumer products and industrial products industries and has worked with entrepreneurial companies as well as Fortune 500 companies.

Working out of the firm’s Melville office, Clarke is responsible for developing Ernst & Young’s Long Island Community Engagement program, which works with organizations focused on mentoring/education, the environment and entrepreneurship. Additionally, the program has raised funds and participated in walks for organizations including the American Cancer Society and Ronald McDonald House. He is a leader within the firm and actively participates in the firm’s diversity mentoring program, supports the firm’s Tri-State Professional Women’s Network by serving as a facilitator and has been selected for the firm’s National Audit Quality Review Team. An instructor participating in a variety of seminars on a national level such as Fair Value Accounting and Accounting for Income Taxes, he is also active in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Program, one of the world’s most prestigious business awards for entrepreneurs. He is running in the New York City Marathon to raise money for Team for Kids, made up of more than 5,000 adult runners from around the world who raise funds for New York Road Runners Foundation’s youth fitness programs as they train for premier races. Clarke earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Adelphi University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants and is licensed in the states of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Carl CorryNews12 InteractiveWhether it’s print journalism, Internet reporting or social media, Carl Corry has provided information seekers with just the facts. Corry serves as executive producer for News12 Interactive, overseeing News12.com, Cablevision’s Channel 612, News12′s TV crawler and News12toGo, a mobile service. He led the launch and daily news coverage of News12 My Town, a two-year hyper-local Web project that merged community participation with News12 community journalism. He also directs special projects and News12′s growing social media efforts.

Prior to joining New12 Interactive, Corry was the editor of Long Island Business News where he bolstered the paper’s reputation as a must-read source for local business news in print and online. Before that, he served as the paper’s managing editor after starting out as a reporter covering a variety of beats. Corry was also a spot news and Internet reporter for Marketwatch.com and has freelanced for major daily newspapers including the New York Post and Newsday. A former three-term president of the Press Club of Long Island, the local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, Corry also served a two-year term on SPJ’s national board, representing the organization’s largest region. He was named SPJ’s 2006 Regional Director of the Year for his role in conducting an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the ouster of a journalism advisor at Ocean County College in New Jersey.

As the Press Club’s current corresponding secretary, he led a successful effort to overturn the Village of Islandia’s decision to block audio and video recordings of public meetings. He runs the club’s blog, Facebook page and Twitter feed, and also serves as its membership committee chair. In 2005, he was awarded PCLI’s Phil Spahn Award for outstanding service to the club. A 1996 Stony Brook University graduate, Corry has won awards for blogging, deadline writing, business reporting and editorial writing. He is a board member of the Buskin Committee for Campus Journalism, a group that fosters excellence in journalism at Stony Brook University. He is also a member of the Energeia Partnership, a regional stewardship organization committed to spurring needed change on Long Island, serving as a member of the organization’s media committee.

Janeth CostaApollo HVAC Corp.Janeth Costa is senior estimator at Apollo HVAC Corp., which specializes in commercial, industrial and institutional projects with an emphasis on providing energy and comfort solutions. Joining Bay Shore-based Apollo HVAC in 2002, she is in charge of the estimating department and is responsible for pricing projects, attending site visits and interacting with engineers, architects, customers, vendors and sales. She also works to provide customers with support from initial HVAC design to pricing and finally to installation.

Costa launched her career at Duke Engineering & Services in Melville as an assistant engineer and was soon promoted to associate engineer. While at Duke Engineering, she performed design and engineering work on various projects – including cogeneration power plants – on time, accurately and under budget. She is a member of the Long Island chapters of the U.S. Green Building Council and American Society of Heating & Refrigeration Engineers. She has raised funds for resource promotion for ASHRAE and also helps to encourage college students to join the chapter, believing that students need to be exposed to the engineering field very early on in their studies to obtain internships. She has served on fundraising committees for the U.S. Green Building Council’s 2008 Gala, the annual Angel Flight Fundraiser, 2009 SUNY Farmingdale Business Hall of Fame Gala and 2009 SUNY Farmingdale Tech Island Golf Classic. Costa earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Polytechnic University. Elected by a college professor, she was accepted into Pi Tao Sigma, an international mechanical engineering honor society. During her last year and a half of college, she held an engineering internship at Northrop Grumman in Bethpage.

Gary CucchiProgressive Marketing Group Inc.
Gary Cucchi is vice president of Progressive Marketing Group Inc., a strategic marketing organization and a recognized industry leader in branding and creative services in Melville. Cucchi is responsible for business develop­ment, client relations and operations, and his areas of expertise include the business-to-business, business-to-consumer, nonprofit, retail marketing and communications environments. He has demonstrated strong campaign development and tactical implementation skills in print, Web and digital environments, as well as in publicity endeavors.

In addition, he assists with positioning clients’ businesses, products and messages to targeted audiences with creative branding strategies that crisscross all media. Since Cucchi’s appointment to PMG 12 years ago, the agency has been recognized with numerous awards. He has also helped secure more than 50 Best of Long Island finalist awards and more than a dozen BOLI “Best Of” Awards for work he has performed on behalf of clients. He and his team are also recipients of more than 50 Graphic Design USA awards on behalf of their clients, and he has received the Premier Print award for creative services in the category of Best Print Brochure.

He is director of public relations for Long Island Elite, serves on the marketing and development committee for Adults and Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities, and is on several committees for The Long Island Home, a nonprofit organization that operates Broadlawn Manor and South Oaks Hospital. He is also a member of the board of directors at Jacob’s Light Foundation, which sends necessities from home to the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan. Cucchi has provided pro bono publicity services to the Clubhouse of Suffolk County, Nassau Suffolk Coalition for the Homeless and Mental Health Association of Suffolk County. He also donates agency time to youth service and drug and alcohol nonprofit agencies. He received the 2007 Key of Excellence award from the Nassau-Suffolk Coalition for his efforts in facilitating the donation of more than 150 mattresses to the homeless through the NSCH. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Salisbury University in Maryland.

Jessica EadsHofstra UniversityJessica Eads has had a distinguished and varied career at Hofstra University, where she has instituted several new initiatives to reach out to prospective students, while improving services for those who are already part of the Hofstra community. As an alumnus, her dedication to Hofstra is deeply rooted. As an administrator, her experience is as diverse as her enthusiasm is indefatigable. She began her professional life at Hofstra in the dean’s office at New College, managing the University Without Walls and Off-Campus education programs.

In 1999, she moved to Enrollment Services, as associate dean for Masters in Business Administration and Executive MBA recruitment. Three years later, she became the dean of Undergraduate Admission Operations and by 2006, assumed responsibility for all undergraduate recruitment and enrollment management as dean of Admission and Financial Aid. In 2009, she added the Bursar/ Student Acocunts office, the registrar and Academic Records unit to her portfolio, becoming the vice president for Enrollment Management. Her achievements include implementing the Banner Enrollment Management system, introducing a holistic approach to admissions and, most recently, overseeing major changes to the financial aid process designed to give students and their families more personal attention. She also implemented a paperless operation that turned admissions into a fully imaged office. Eads has been equally pioneering in recruitment efforts, using social media such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as blogs by admissions counselors, to communicate with prospective students.

During her tenure, applications have increased from approximately 13,000 annually to more than 21,000. She has served on the university’s First-Year Experience Task Force, the Graduate Admissions Task Force, and the planning committees for the annual gala and the school’s 75th anniversary celebration in 2010. She was also a member of the team that helped shepherd the institution through its most recent accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and the NCAA. She sits on the advisory board of Private Colleges & Universities magazine, is a member of the National Association of College Admission Counseling and served on the national advisory board for the customer relations management project of SunGuard, the developer of the Banner student record sofware. Besides earning her Bachelor of Arts in social sciences from Hofstra, she holds a Master of Arts in counseling and a Masters of Science in educational administration from Columbia University Teachers College.

Peter EganGarfunkel Wild, P.C.Peter Egan is a partner at Garfunkel Wild, P.C. in Great Neck. Joining the firm in 2001, Egan is a member of the firm’s business, health care and tax practice groups where he advises clients on a variety of business, regulatory and transactional matters. His practice includes complex business transactions, as well as regulatory and tax analysis on behalf of for-profit health care organizations, medical centers and nonprofit providers. He has particular expertise in structuring joint ventures and advising clients on the formation of ambulatory surgery centers, recently assisting in merging two large New York health care systems and structuring the merger of four local medical practices.

Instrumental in opening the firm’s Stamford, Conn., office, Egan works with businesses on Long Island and in Connecticut structuring various types of business transactions including mergers, acquisitions, formations and joint ventures. He earned a juris doctor, cum laude, from Boston College Law School and a bachelor’s of arts degree from Columbia University. He is admitted to practice in New York and Connecticut; the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division; and Connecticut Superior Court; and is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Connecticut Bar Association and the Nassau County Bar Association. Prior to joining the firm, Egan worked as a consultant in Ernst & Young’s health care group where he focused on identifying and addressing financial and corporate structure issues facing the area’s health care providers. He is a member of the development board for The Hagedorn Little Village School, Jack Joel Center for Special Children and is in charge of career mentoring in the New York area for the Boston College Law School Alumni Association. He is a member of the Long Island Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, a former member of the board of directors of the Garden City Western Property Owners Association and has given numerous continuing legal education presentations in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Robert ErvolinaGibbons, Esposito & Boyce, P.C.Multitasking and assuming responsibility are two areas in which Robert Ervolina has excelled while serving as director of construction management for Gibbons, Esposito & Boyce Engineers and HiRise Engineering, and as Managing Partner for HiRise Construction Group, Inc. With Ervolina’s dedication and expertise, the GEB/HiRise Group of companies in Uniondale continues to expand on Long Island, in the New York metropolitan area and across the country providing a range of engineering services including planning, design, construction management, general contracting and real estate due diligence.

Responsible for managing infrastructure improvement projects, Ervolina provides construction management and inspection services for clients throughout Long Island as well as local and state government and transportation authorities. He also provides design, construction management and real estate due diligence for public and private clients locally and nationwide. He oversaw management of the award-winning Gateway Estates Urban Renewal project that provides affordable housing and amenities to 7,000 people on a previously undeveloped municipal waste site in the East New York section of Brooklyn and has been involved with numerous community revitalization projects including the reconstruction of the Bedell Terrace Complex in Hempstead. Ervolina earned his BSCE from Manhattan College and is licensed to practice engineering in New York and Connecticut.

His certifications include LEED, ACI, NJSSAT, Property Condition Assessment, Construction Estimating and OSHA. In addition, he is a qualified environmental professional. Prior to joining the GEB/HiRise Group, he worked for Turner Construction, where he was part of a construction management team involved with notable Long Island projects. An active volunteer in one of the largest engineering societies in America – the American Society of Civil Engineers – Ervolina serves as a board member and treasurer for the Long Island Branch of the Metropolitan Section. He has been instrumental in developing a scholarship program to encourage students to pursue a degree in engineering and serves as a mentor for the company’s interns.

Cheryl L. FratelloFratello & Fox, P.C.Cheryl L. Fratello is a partner at Fratello & Fox, P.C. in Woodbury concentrating on real estate, trusts and estates, and elder law. In charge of marketing for the firm, Fratello created and authors the firm’s newsletter, The Legal Viewpoint, and designed and currently maintains the firm’s Web site. As a frequent lecturer on elder issues for Long Island libraries, professional organizations and other groups, she has increased the firm’s profile and has driven new business while serving the local communities. She also developed a free legal clinic available to the senior community.

Prior to joining Fratello & Fox in 2004, she completed stints as a legal intern at the Genesee County Public Defender’s Office and as a law clerk for Felle, Stocker & Margolis in Williamsville, N.Y. She is admitted to the New York State Bar and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District. Fratello serves as the executive vice president of the Long Island Women’s Agenda where she has played key roles in fundraising, membership development, budget management and the development, execution and marketing of LIWA’s events. She also established the organization’s Emerging Leaders Committee and conceived and chaired LIWA’s successful Networking 101 for Women and Secrets of Long Island Power Women events. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Stony Brook University and earned a juris doctor from SUNY Buffalo Law School. She currently serves as an adjunct instructor at CUNY Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn where she presents a course leading students to paralegal certification. A member of the Columbian Lawyers Association of Nassau County and Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, she has also volunteered her time at local organizations including the Nassau County Bar Association Senior Clinic, Maurer Foundation for Breast Health Education, Child Care Council of Nassau, Adelphi-New York Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program and Friends of Caleb Smith State Park.

Brian FriedThink Up Designs
Brian Fried has always had a passion for new ideas. Fried is president of Think Up Designs in Melville, launched in 2006 in response to his desire to create solutions to the challenges of everyday life. He and his Think Up Designs team have been called upon by major brands to help find solutions to challenges in their early product development stages. To date, he holds patents for four inventions and has an additional three that are patent pending. His inventions range from kids toys and infant products to kitchen gadgets.

Another passion is to create and license brand art properties that target the teen/tween market. His brands have been placed in several retail chains including Target and other well-known retailers in North America. In 2007, Fried, with the support of Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, founded the Inventors and Entrepreneur Club of Suffolk County and has served on the board of directors for the New York Society of Professional Inventors. He volunteers his time lecturing throughout many Long Island public libraries and school districts on the subject of inventions. It was through these experiences that he began to recognize that there was a great need for solid information and guidance. This was the inspiration for his book, “You & Your Big Ideas: A Resource Guide for Inventors, Innovators & Entrepreneurs,” which offers a step-by-step tutorial for people to supplement their income by bringing their ideas to fruition. Proceeds from this book are donated to various charities and Fried won the Google Ad Award for his efforts in 2008. He was also recognized as a pioneer in the Google AdWords arena.

Jeremy HackettMetro Realty Services LLCJeremy Hackett is managing partner at Metro Realty Services LLC, a full-service industrial/commercial real estate firm serving all of Long Island and the tri-state area. Joining Farmingdale-based Metro Realty in 2006, Hackett is involved in all aspects of running the 15-person Farmingdale office. Since his arrival, he has helped the office grow from 10 to 15 employees. His primary focus is on industrial sales and leasing in Nassau and Suffolk County. In the challenging economy of 2008-2009, Hackett managed to close sales on 15 industrial buildings, as well as put an additional three in contract and three additional contracts out for signature.

Prior to joining Metro Realty, Hackett was a vice president at CBRE’s Woodbury office where he concentrated on tenant and landlord representation for industrial transactions. In 2005, he received CBRE’s Silver Award for volume of business accomplished in a 12-month period He was also employed at Grubb & Ellis New York Inc. as an associate managing director. He was soon promoted to managing director, exclusively representing owners in the disposal of their properties. Prior to that, Hackett worked as a managing agent at Alfred S. Friedman Management Corp. where he was involved in all levels of building management. Hackett has been involved in training/mentoring several junior brokers by teaching them the industrial side of the business. Assisting in all aspects of marketing to finding tenants/buyers for exclusive properties, Hackett has guided junior brokers through many deals. Hackett earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of South Florida, and has represented numerous clients including Audiovox Corp., Coram Equitites, Dewalt/Black & Decker, Good Samaritan Hospital, H&R Block, Financial Services, Time Warner Cable and Staples. Some of his significant sales include Penske Truck Leasing, W. Babylon (27,000 square feet on 4.7 acres); Duro Dyne, Bay Shore (130,000 square feet); Shalam Management, Hauppauge (106,000 square feet); and Coram Equities (9.7-acre land development).

Kara HahnSuffolk County Legislature
Educated as a social worker, Kara Hahn entered public service with the intention of making a difference in people’s lives and, for more than 10 years, has been actively involved in the civic and political issues that impact the 1.4 million people of Suffolk County. She has served as a key advisor to the Suffolk County Legislature for six years; first as Press Secretary for the late Presiding Officer Maxine S. Postal then as Chief of Staff to Legislator Vivian Viloria-Fisher and currently as Director of Communications to Presiding Officer William Lindsay.

In her role for the Legislature, Hahn provides strategic public relations, communications, intergovernmental and policy counsel to the Presiding Officer and 18 Legislators and their offices across Suffolk. Hahn has contributed to the evolution of policy on a wide range of issues including protecting the environment, safeguarding children and families, promoting affordable workforce housing and public transportation, and improving the public’s access to their elected officials. She has also made a difference in other arenas, serving in leadership positions in several countywide and local civic and non-profit organizations that tackle issues as diverse as child care, community beautification, the arts and health awareness. She is president of the board of directors of the Civic Association of the Setaukets and Stony Brook; co-chairs “The Greening of 25A Committee” and the Three Village Maintenance and Beautification Project; and volunteers for Gallery North, a community-based art gallery that promotes local artists.

She has also participated in the political life of the community as former president of the Three Village Democratic Club and former vice chair of the Brookhaven Town Democratic Committee. Hahn remains active in her local Democratic Party as committee member, and as a key advisor for the Suffolk County Democratic Committee and Campaign for a Democratic Legislature. She also volunteers with the Colette Coyne Melanoma Awareness Campaign. Hahn earned a Masters degree in Social Work Policy from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelors degree with distinction from the University of Delaware. She currently resides in Setauket with her husband Christopher and daughters Karina and Hope.

Michael HanleyMerl & Hanley, LLPMichael Hanley is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor with extensive knowledge in the area of small business tax planning. He is the Managing Partner of Smithtown-based Merl & Hanley, LLP and the author of Effective Tax Planning for the MicroBusiness. Hanley’s second book, Choosing the Right Structure for Your Business was released on January 1, 2010.

Hanley built his accounting practice from a small, one-man operation with six clients and eight thousand dollars in annual billing into a successful firm with more than 300 small business clients, 450 personal tax clients, a staff of seven, and half a million dollars in annual billing. The focus of his practice is on small business accounting, tax planning, and tax preparation. His expert opinions are frequently published throughout the country in various publications such as BusinessWeek, The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Newsday, Long Island Business News, Accounting Crossing, BrandWeek, and USAA magazine. He is considered an expert in the field of entity selection, successfully counseling hundreds of small businesses as to which type of business structure best fits their business and tax needs. When not practicing or writing about accounting, Hanley is an avid reader of mysteries and suspense novels, competes in Duathlons (running and biking), cooks healthy, organic meals, and spends time with his wife Michele, his son James, and his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Madden. He also enjoys teaching a CPA Review Course that helps recent college graduates study for and pass the CPA Exam.

Jennifer HoffmanGrant Thornton LLP
Jennifer Hoffman serves as a Senior Manager, Not-for-Profit Services in Grant Thornton’s Metro New York practice and is a fully dedicated member of Grant Thornton’s Northeast Region Not-for-Profit Practice. She joined Grant Thornton in 2003 after spending eight years at the Big-4 firm Arthur Andersen where she was manager of its consumer products and services division. Hoffman has more than 14 years of experience serving clients in the not-for-profit sector and brings a variety of experience and skills to her clients.

Based in Grant Thornton’s Melville office, she is responsible for the overall engagement and management of a wide variety of clients including social service organizations, religious organizations as well as foundations and higher education institutions. In addition, she serves as the primary Concurring Reviewer for Not-for-Profit engagements in Metro New York. Through her participation in the Grant Thornton’s coaching program, Hoffman partakes in the mentoring of her colleagues. She also participates in seminars and internal and external training programs within the not-for-profit sector. Hoffman earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University at Albany. She is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She is a member of Grant Thornton’s National Not-for-Profit Leadership Team and is also active in the community. She has served as a fundraising participant, as well as a mentor and training captain of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program. Hoffman also volunteers as a soccer coach in the East Islip Soccer Club and with her daughter’s Suffolk County Girl Scout’s Brownie troop.

Glenn KaminskaAhmuty, Demers and McManus LLPGlenn Kaminska is a partner in the Alberston office of Ahmuty, Demers & McManus. The firm, with 70 attorneys located in its New York State and New Jersey offices, has established a presence in state and federal courts covering the tri-state area. Kaminska heads the firm’s Insurance Coverage Group and his practice focuses on appellate advocacy, construction site accidents, insurance coverage and professional liability/malpractice.

He is often called upon in pre-litigation situations to resolve issues through negotiations, thereby assisting clients in resolving matters without incurring excessive expenses. He can also be found regularly interacting with other members of the firm to assist on unique issues that may arise during the course of litigation. Kaminska has authored and co-authored multiple articles for the New York Law Journal and his work has been published in the Torts, Insurance and Compensation Law Section of the Journal of the New York State Bar Association. A mentor and industry leader, Kaminska educates industry professionals through numerous lectures and seminars. He addressed legal and insurance industry professionals at the 2009 Insurance Coverage Update for the New York State Bar Association; and the New York Late Notice Legislation, AIG Domestic Claims, Inc., N.Y. claims advisory board. Kaminska earned his juris doctor from St. John’s University and earned a bachelor’s degree, dean’s list, in political science from Stony Brook University. He is admitted to practice in New York State, New Jersey and the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of New York, and is a member of the New York State Bar Association. He is involved in coaching Little League baseball for his two sons and has helped form a youth lacrosse team and the local Parent Teacher Association.

Lisa KneeBerdon LLPLisa Knee is a tax partner in the Jericho office of the top 30 CPA and Advisory firm, Berdon LLP. She advises many of the firm’s largest clients including some of New York’s most prominent hotel, restaurant, manufacturing, and real estate organizations. She is also advisor to the leaders of closely-held businesses and their families. Clients turn to her not only for her tax and economic insights on potential transactions, but for her broad perspective that encompasses such areas as business trends, legal matters, and family issues.

Consulted by real estate clients on acquisitions and sales of residential and commercial property, she analyzes and advises on complex financing structures, among them securitized debt obligations and alternative financing. She enables clients to obtain rehabilitation tax credits, and develops sophisticated structures for aircraft acquisitions, leases, and fractional share interests. As advisor to many family and closely held businesses and their owners, Knee guides them in navigating the complex interrelationship between meeting the needs of family members and satisfying and retaining nonfamily executives. She helps owners retain, increase, and transfer wealth using sophisticated techniques in developing their estate and succession plans. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Boston University and her juris doctor degree cum laude from Brooklyn Law School, where she was the research editor of the International Journal of Law, and received her Master of Laws degree in taxation from New York University School of Law.

She was licensed in New York as a certified public accountant in 1995 and admitted to the New York bar in 2000. Active in associations for both the accounting and legal professions, she is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, the New York State Bar Association, and the Nassau County Bar Association. She heads two firm charity drives, one for battered women and another to provide eyeglasses to those who cannot afford them. Active in her local community, she sits on the board of directors for the Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center in East Hills, is a member of the Auction and Sports Committee and has participated in events for American Friends of Magen David Adom and Women’s International Zionist Organization.

Edward N. LeeKPMG LLPLaunching his career at KPMG LLP as a pre-professional in the tax practice during his college years, Edward N. Lee is now a partner at the firm. The day after graduation, Lee started full time at KMPG as a staff accountant, first in tax and then audit, where he worked exclusively with health care, government and higher education, research and other not-for-profit practice clients. He took a two-year hiatus from KPMG and served as the controller at Hofstra University. He returned to the firm in 2005, and has since worked with numerous health care, higher education and not-for-profit clients. He was admitted to the partnership in 2007.

Dedicated to serving the not-for-profit community, Lee serves as the partner on several major health care systems, local hospitals, universities, research organizations and foundations. He is a KPMG Training and Methodology Team member, national and local instructor, campus recruiter, performance manager, and partner community social coordinator. He has served on KMPG’s Long Island office social committee and the Metro New York staff council. Lee earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Long Island University, C.W. Post. He is a member of The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and serves as a New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants health care committee member. He’s a member of the Hospital Financial Management Association, the Nassau/ Suffolk Hospital Council and the National Association of College and University Business Officers. He has been a guest speaker and represented KPMG at various meetings of HFMA, NYSSCPA, NSHC and the National Council of University Research Administrators. Lee is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Port Jefferson Lodge No. 2138, where he serves as chairman of the drug awareness and audit and accounting committees.

Lyle MahlerFarrell Fritz, P.C.Lyle Mahler is a partner in the corporate and banking practice group in the Uniondale office of Farrell Fritz, P.C. He regularly counsels large and small businesses on a variety of corporate matters including commercial transactions, mergers and acquisitions and joint venture arrangements. He has more than a decade of experience representing lenders in secured and unsecured loan transactions and regularly advises banks and their general counsel on legal issues related to credit issues and new transactions. Mahler is a member of the Nassau County Bar Association and the Business Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, and has been a member of Sterling National Bank’s business advisory board since 2006.

A child advocate, Mahler serves on the board of directors of Stages of Learning, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that uses theatre as a way to enhance curriculums in grades three through six. The program has been described as a model by the New York State Council on the Arts and by other agencies for providing life changing educational experiences in collaboration with classroom teachers. Mahler has been a member of the Annual Sports Day committee since 2006, which has raised money for Schneider Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island. He also volunteers his time to House activities, including serving dinner to families staying in the House. He earned a juris doctor degree from Fordham University School of Law, where he served as an associate editor of the Fordham Intellectual Property, Media & Entertainment Law Journal. He earned a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in economics and political science from SUNY Buffalo and is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey.

Steve McClellandGrassi & Co. CPAs
As Audit Partner for Grassi & Co. CPAs in Jericho, Steve McClelland is dedicated to helping his clients remain financially healthy and operate more efficiently. Focusing on the health care industry, McClelland leads the firm’s Healthcare Institutional Practice. He has more than 16 years of experience serving not-for-profit, publicly-traded and governmental health care entities including integrated health systems, academic medical centers, community hospitals, long term care facilities, home health and hospice companies and managed care organizations.

He has managed due diligence engagements relating acquisitions up to and in excess of $450 million; successfully managed an audit of a hospital that filed for and later emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy; and played a large part in the development of audit methodologies relating to patient service revenue. A graduate of Dowling College, McClelland has authored several articles relating to industry specific issues and has lectured for the Healthcare Financial Management Association. He received the Metro Marketing Award for his extensive involvement and success in practice development. In addition to his involvement with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Healthcare Financial Management Association, he is very passionate about the mentoring process. He takes an active role in the firm’s training programs serving as a mentor for many people – as he has done consistently throughout his career – and, during his tenure at PricewaterhouseCoopers, was nominated for the Chairman’s Award, in recognition of his mentoring efforts. He is also a member of the American Heart Association focusing on educating youth on the benefits of a heart healthy lifestyle.

Catherine MurphyMatt Murphy Event Lighting
Catherine Murphy is Co-Founder and Business Manager of the premier event lighting design firm, Matt Murphy Event Lighting, located in Hampton Bays. She began her career as a coordinator for the East Hampton catering company Art of Eating. Exposed to some of the most extravagant weddings and parties in the Hamptons, Murphy recognized a need for affordable decorative tent lighting and, in 2000, she and her husband, Matt, launched Matt Murphy Event Lighting. While her husband handles lighting design and installation, she is responsible for networking, booking new business, purchasing and all office administration.

Murphy’s leadership has helped earn the company an impressive clientele made up of some of New York’s top designers, socialites and celebrities. She has showcased the company’s designs through successful marketing, advertising and public relations efforts. The company has appeared in New York Magazine, Brides New York, The Knot Magazine, Well Wed Magazine, East Hampton Life, On the Jitney, Southampton Press, Biz Bash, Long Island Parent, The Independent and Hamptons Cottages and Gardens. The company was also featured in acclaimed photographer Mallory Samson’s book, Outdoor Weddings. Murphy is a graduate of Fordham University and believes it is important to give back to the community. Matt Murphy Event Lighting donates services to benefit Long Island charities including Southampton Youth Services, LongHouse Reserve and the East End Food Pantries. The company also donates services to national charities including Miracle House, Empire Pride Agenda, ARF and the ASPCA.

Gwen O’SheaHealth & Welfare Council of Long IslandGwen O’Shea is President/CEO of the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island. Serving as its President/CEO since her appointment in 2007, O’Shea is the fifth executive in the organization’s 60-year history and the organization’s first female executive. The Health & Welfare Council of Long Island is a private, not-for-profit umbrella organization. The organization serves the interests of poor and vulnerable people on Long Island while also supporting the non-profit agencies that serve them.

O’Shea is responsible for the Council’s administration, management and overall financial development. She is also responsible for the development of collaborative planning amongst voluntary and public providers and for the organization’s research and advocacy on public policy and legislative issues as they pertain to Long Islanders who are at-risk. She serves on the advisory board of the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet, whose mission is to improve the lives of New York’s children, especially as it pertains to health insurance and child care. O’She is also a member of the Energeia Partnership, Class of 2007. She is a member of the steering committee for Medicaid Matters New York, a statewide coalition representing more than 150 agencies concerned with Medicaid consumer rights. An adjunct professor at Long Island University, C.W. Post in the Masters of Public Health Department, O’Shea earned a master’s degree in non-profit management from the Robert J. Milano School for Management and Urban Policy. She is a graduate of the Columbia Institute for Non-profit Management programs, its leadership program and the middle management program, and she also earned a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Lilya PopovetskyA Multilingual Development AgencyLilya Popovetsky is the founder of A Multilingual Development Agency, an Early Intervention agency for children from birth to three years old in Nassau County. She obtained a Master’s Degree from Columbia University’s Teacher’s College in Early Childhood Special Education with a dual certification in General Education, and went on to complete two educational administration degrees from Hofstra University, where she was awarded the Aspiring Leader Scholarship award.

A Multilingual Developmental Agency is a New York State Department of Health approved agency contracted by the Nassau County Early Intervention Program. The agency treats children who have developmental delays, and it specializes in working with children who are bilingual and have been adopted. A Multilingual Development Agency offers all children full developmental evaluations in their native languages and provides a full range of therapeutic services, with no out-of-pocket costs to the families. Some of the many languages offered to families are Russian, Polish, Spanish, Greek, Italian, Hindi, Cantonese and French. A sample of the therapies offered by this agency include speech/language, physical, occupational, feeding and play, among others. The agency can also provide nutritional consults, audiological evaluations, as well as family training. The evaluations and services take place in a setting that is natural to the child, which is typically the home, but can also be day care or school. Popovetzky started the agency more than four years ago and has since assisted hundreds of families throughout Nassau County. In the spring of 2009, she was recognized by the Long Island Press, which awarded her a spot on its Fortune 52 list.

Tina RuarkLloyd StaffingWhile attending high school in Wayne, Michigan, Tina Ruark worked as a part-time staffing counselor for Future Force. She developed a love for the business and became hooked on helping others find jobs. Today, Ruark is Vice President for Lloyd Corporate and her role is to create staffing partnerships and recruitment initiatives with Fortune 500 companies on a national basis. She also manages Lloyd’s New York City operation and travels between both locations.

Lloyd, with 10 locations throughout the country, specializes in 15 employment areas ranging from accounting and finance to supply chain management. Services include temporary staffing and project personnel, contract engagements, contingency searches, retained executive searches, out-sourced strategic solutions and career placement resources. She joined Lloyd Staffing in 2006 and is currently focusing on building the New York City marketplace with an emphasis on synergy with Long Island companies. Prior to joining Lloyd, she was director of business development for Forrest Solutions in New York City. She also launched her own successful company, The Service Connection.com, which she eventually sold to ImproveNet.

Ruark volunteers with the Special Olympics of New York and Michigan and serves on the board of directors for Sophia’s Cure, which focuses on spinal muscular atrophy, a disease that affects 1 in 6,000 babies. She also participates in the Sports Festival for Ronald McDonald House of Long Island and Schneider Children’s Hospital; Lloyd’s Toy Drive for the John Theissen Foundation; and New York Cares’ Annual Winter Coat Drive for the homeless. Her efforts in 2008 helped Lloyd Staffing win top honors for the first award ever given for Corporate Social Responsibility by the American Staffing Association. She mentors others and speaks publicly on career advancement and job search strategies and has been featured on WomenforHire.com for her employment expertise.

Jon SchneiderOffice of Congressman Timothy BishopJon Schneider is Deputy Chief of Staff/District Director at the Office of Congressman Timothy Bishop (D-NY). Schneider manages Congressman Bishop’s Long Island district office where he serves as his chief political and communications advisor, as well as the first point of contact for elected officials and community groups. Managing his communication, Schneider serves as an on-the-record spokesman, sets up media events and directs all his written materials.

Schneider has developed particular expertise as Congressman Bishop’s chief aide for infrastructure issues. He has helped establish the congressman as one of Long Island’s leading voices on infrastructure and helped Bishop earn the Long Island Contractors Association’s 2009 Partnering Award. Working on coastal issues, Schneider has helped cut the red tape and move forward a number of important dredging projects, including Moriches Inlet and Shinnecock Inlet. He took a brief leave from Congressman Bishop’s office from February to June 2008 to serve as deputy supervisor of the Town of Brookhaven, helping transition Supervisor Brian X. Foley’s administration during a tumultuous period after Democrats lost control of the town board.

Prior to his appointment as deputy chief of staff in 2008, Schneider held other positions in Congressman Bishop’s office, including district director/communications director and communi­cations director/legislative aide. Before joining the congressman’s office, Schneider worked at the Sierra Club in Washington, DC, in the communications department and as its National Political Representative in charge of their PAC. He also worked on Capitol Hill both during Congressman Bishop’s first term and as press secretary for Congressman Steve Rothman (D-NJ) from 2000-2001. Schneider also serves as vice chairman of the Brookhaven Town Democratic Committee. A native Long Islander who graduated from Oceanside High School in 1995, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston University in 1999.

Jessica SmoohaA Brief Affair, Inc.Launching her business five years ago as a by-appointment-only operation from her home, Jessica Smooha, owner of Great Neck-based A Brief Affair, Inc., now operates her lingerie store online. The $1 million online retailer sells designer and European lingerie and loungewear and is recognized as a top brand retailer that sets the standard for online designer lingerie shopping. It is well recognized by top designer lingerie brands including Chantelle, Spanx, Hanro, Le Mystere, Hanky Panky, Cosabella, Yummie Tummie, Natori, Samantha Chang, Fantasie, Anita & Simone Perele.

While Smooha ships close to 1,000 orders each month, she remains true to her simple roots and continues to provide her customers with personal by appointment only fitting and shopping experiences. Smooha founded and developed a disability awareness program, Same But Different, in 2006, to educate elementary school students in her son’s Great Neck kindergarten class. The program provides children with insight on what it’s like to have a disability and hands-on exercises are provided to give students a sense of what it’s like to overcome challenges. The program includes visitors with various disabilities and teacher involvement before, during and after the program. The Same But Different program has grown into a four-day event, with each day focusing on one specific disability. Sessions include learning, mobility, vision and hearing. The program’s success is evident, as other Great Neck elementary schools have contacted her to introduce Same But Different in their schools, and recently several out of district schools have shown an interest. Smooha has also prepared school kits complete with exercises, homework, contacts, guest speakers’ lists and agendas for schools that are interested in implementing the Same But Different program.

Todd StebbinsLong Island Power Authority
Serving as Director of Environmental Affairs for the Long Island Power Authority, Todd Stebbins is a key liaison to the environmental and energy advocacy community to advance LIPA’s agenda for a more sustainable energy future for Long Island. Stebbins came to LIPA as the first Director of the Office of Energy for Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy where he was the key author of the first Clean Energy Action Plan for a municipality in New York State. It was through this multi-pronged plan aimed at retro-fitting buildings for energy efficiency, replacing an aging fleet with hybrid and bio-fuel powered vehicles and establishing renewable energy projects on county buildings that Stebbins worked to establish Suffolk County as one of the greenest counties in the state.

In his role at LIPA, he is involved in some of the most significant and innovative energy-related projects for Long Island such as Efficiency Long Island, aimed at reducing energy consumption, and increasing the use of renewable energy. In addition, he is a part of the team exploring the re-use of the property where the de-commissioned Shoreham nuclear power station now sits. Prior to his work in government, Stebbins was the Long Island Director for the New York Public Interest Research Group, advocating on voter registration, government accountability, environmental and energy issues for the region and state. It was in addition to this role that he was able to create a model now used throughout the rest of the state to coordinate and implement large scale food drives and donations for food pantries that annually resulted in some of the largest single donations to food pantries in the greater Port Jefferson area.

Daniel TacktillOppenheimer & Co.Daniel Tacktill is a Wealth Manager for the Private Client Division of Oppenheimer & Co., in Melville, where he focuses on developing a true understanding of clients’ goals and objectives. Tacktill co-leads a team of five that oversees several hundred million dollars in assets. One of his primary goals is to free clients from the daunting task and time consuming details of gathering financial information and chasing the “hot” item of the month. As a financial advisor, Tacktill deals with high net worth clients who are looking for unique strategies to address various investment and financial issues.

He is responsible for working with clients to develop various types of financial recommendations to facilitate retirement, college funding and estate planning strategies. Navigating clients through the 2008/2009 financial crisis has been one of his greatest accomplishments, saving clients several million dollars. Tacktill holds several licenses including Series 7, 63, 65, Life Health & Variable Annuity. He is a graduate of the University of North Florida, earning a degree in business and public administration. He is a member of the PSCA Profit Sharing 401k Council of America. He is a member of the Huntington YMCA Golf Committee where he raises funds for underprivileged members of the community, a member of the advisory board for The Ronald McDonald House, is a member of the Executive Council Advisory Board for Schneider Children’s Hospital and supports the World Wildlife Fund. He also spends many hours mentoring children in his community as well as young trainees in his office and typically participates in two to three seminars/ continuing education workshops per month to get a sense of what is on the minds of investors.

Christopher E. VatterJaspan Schlesinger LLPChristopher E. Vatter is a partner in the litigation practice group at Garden City-based Jaspan Schlesinger LLP. Vatter has been practicing law since 2001, specializing in all aspects of commercial litigation with a focus on construction law, including contract formation and litigation on behalf of private owners, contractors, school districts and municipalities. Prior to joining the firm, Vatter interned with the Hon. George C. Pratt of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, (Ret.). He also interned with the Hon. Michael F. Mullen, acting Suffolk County Supreme Court justice.

Vatter earned a juris doctor, summa cum laude, from Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center where he was an editor of the Touro Law Review. He earned a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications management, magna cum laude, from DeVry Institute of Technology. He is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of New York, New Jersey, Florida and West Virginia. In addition, Vatter is a member of New York State Bar Association, Nassau County Bar Association, Suffolk County Bar Association and West Virginia Bar Association. Vatter authored the Touro Law Review article entitled, “New York State Constitutional Decisions: 1999 Compilation: Public Welfare: Supreme Court, New York County: Aliessa v. Whalen.” He also volunteers his time on Election Day, representing citizens who have been denied the right to vote in their particular polling place.

Eileen M. VerityCatholic Charities of the Diocese of Rockville CentreEileen M. Verity is Director of Senior Services and Nutrition Programs for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Hired by Catholic Charities in 2005 to coordinate the Child and Family Health Plus Programs, Verity’s outstanding organizational skills were quickly recognized and she was promoted to senior services administrator. As director of senior services, she is responsible for a $5.5 million budget and the 150 employees who provide services to Long Island’s senior population.

Such services include one of the largest Meals-On-Wheels programs in the region, serving more than 259,000 meals to homebound seniors each year; the Senior Case Management Program, which provides home health care and homemaking services to frail seniors; and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which provides approximatey 11,000 monthly packages of free, nutritious food to income-eligible residents. A passionate advocate, Verity is also Catholic Charities’ government liaison for its programs, dealing directly with local legislators and all local municipalities. She is responsible for Catholic Charities being awarded the federal contract for the Women, Infants, and Children Program whose initial budget of $920,000 will allow Catholic Charities to hire at least 30 new staff and to serve an additional 3,000 families and individuals in need in the coming year. Verity earned an undergraduate degree from SUNY Geneseo, a master’s degree in social work from Columbia University and a juris doctor from the New England School of Law. She is admitted to the New York State Bar. She is chair of the Aging Committee for the New York State Catholic Conference, a member of the Nassau County Health and Medical Multi-Agency Coordinating Group, serves on the Steering Committee for the Aging at Catholic Charities USA and co-chair of the Nassau County Senior Services Providers Coalition.

John ViglianteThe Branch Funeral Home
John Vigliante is the Owner and Manager of The Branch Funeral Home in Smithtown. Vigliante is a fourth-generation funeral director and a second-generation owner and manager of The Branch Funeral Home, a staple in the community for the past 40 years. An innovative thinker, he is introducing green funerals, which would have a huge impact on the environment. He has also introduced Web casting to Branch families, which allows those who are unable to attend a funeral a chance to watch it live. Vigliante never loses sight of the core values and passion for his business, treating every family with the utmost service, compassion and integrity.

Due to his leadership, The Branch Funeral Home has won the Pursuit of Excellence Award for four consecutive years, which is given to firms that have achieved top honors in the National Funeral Directors Association Pursuit of Excellence program. Presented to only the top two percent of funeral homes in the country, Branch was recognized for surpassing the requirements of the award, which include providing outstanding service to families while maintaining a positive image for funeral service, ongoing education to staff, and adhering to only the highest ethical and professional standards. Vigliante is a member of the Smithtown Sunrise Rotary Club, public relations director for the Senior Resource Alliance and chancellor for the Knights of Columbus, Holy Mother Mary Council #3958. He is also involved with the Smithtown Chamber of Commerce, Nesconset Chamber of Commerce and St. James Chamber of Commerce. He is a vice president of the Sons of Italy, St. Thomas Aquinas Lodge in Hauppauge and an usher at Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church.

Laurel Parker WestLong Island Fund for Women & Girls
Laurel Parker West has served as the Executive Director of the Long Island Fund for Women & Girls at its Jericho location since September 2008. She has extensive experience in social policy and philanthropy and has worked in the fields of welfare reform, community development, housing and homelessness, child poverty, transportation, economic development, criminal justice, program evaluation, and non-profit capacity-building.

She holds a Ph.D. in political science from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where she focused her research efforts on state-level child care policy. West supervises a staff of five and works closely with an accomplished Board of Directors comprised of Long Island women leaders in law, education, banking, technology, and the non-profit sector. She works with community leaders from government, business, and the non-profit realms to help make Long Island a more equitable community for all of its residents. Through her work with the Fund, she partners with organizations such as the Long Island Children’s Museum, the Girl Scouts, domestic violence shelters, programs serving homeless teen mothers, programs for at-risk teens in underserved communities, and programs focusing on the mental and physical health of women and girls, to name just a few.

She is also actively involved in advocating for the rights of working women through the Funds Women on the Job program. Prior to taking on the leadership of the Long Island Fund for Women & Girls, she served as the executive director of the Wyoming Women’s Foundation, a statewide grant making non-profit focusing on the long-term economic self-sufficiency of women and girls, for more than two years. Most recently, West was selected as a 2009 Woman of Distinction by the New York State Senate, in recognition of her leadership and accomplishments throughout her career. Laurel is a natural, enthusiastic leader with an inclusive, bottom-up management style that produces positive results for all the non-profit organizations she has led.

Harris J. ZakarinRivkin Radler LLPHarris J. Zakarin is a Partner in Rivkin Radler’s Litigation and Appeals Practice Group. He represents a wide array of individuals, closely-held businesses and major insurance companies in all aspects of commercial and civil litigation, with an expertise and concentration in appellate practice. A Partner of Uniondale-based Rivkin Radler since 2004, he serves on the firm’s Hiring Committee interviewing all attorney employment candidates and serving as a mentor to junior associates.

Prior to joining Rivkin Radler, Zakarin was as an Appellate Court Attorney for the New York State Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department and served as acting law secretary to Honorable Anthony V. Cardona, Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, Third Department, and Honorable Paul J. Yesawich, Jr., Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, Third Department. He was also previously a litigation associate at a boutique Manhattan real estate litigation firm where he represented cooperative and condominium housing associations and their members. Zakarin graduated from Binghamton University and received his juris doctorate, magna cum laude, from Touro Law School. While in law school, he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Touro Law Review. He is admitted to the Bars of the States of New York and Connecticut and, in addition, is admitted to practice in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

David ZereNelson & Pope Engineers & Surveyors, LLP
David Zere is project manager at Nelson & Pope Engineers & Surveyors, LLP in Melville. Joining the firm in 2003, Zere manages numerous site plan and subdivision projects and works with dozens of government agencies, representing client applications. To date he has gotten approval for more than 50 residential and commercial building projects in multiple municipalities across Long Island. His leadership qualities bring government and business together to produce economic development for Long Island.

For more than 20 years, Zere has been a state-licensed real estate broker and has brokered more than $35 million in land and building sales at Zere Real Estate Services Inc. in Ronkonkoma. He has also sold more than 700 building lots throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties for residential subdivisions. Previously, Zere ran the Brookhaven town supervisor’s race as deputy manager. He served as operations manager and media spokesperson for Long Island Builders Institute, representing 600 builders and related businesses in government. Zere also served as project manager for Beechwood Development, one of Long Island’s largest developers. Zere is involved in multiple trade associations including HIA, LIA, LIBI, Action Long Island, Business Development Council, LIMBA and many local Chambers of Commerce.

He has worked with Children’s Medical Lifeline Group, specializing in providing life-saving surgeries for children abroad and has made multiple television appearances on Good Day NY, Time Warner Networks, News12 Long Island, TV55 and WLIW discussing business and political issues. Zere recently hosted his Fourth Annual Wounded Warrior Project Event Fundraiser, which brought together more than 400 guests and raised more than $50,000 for returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Zere cooked and catered the entire event himself through Zere Catering, which hosts corporate and philanthropic events. Zere also serves as executive director of the American Patriot Heroes Fund, a local veterans’ assistance organization. His other talents include gourmet cooking and playing the piano, which was recognized when he won the HIA Long Island’s Got Talent Award in 2008.

EVENT PRESENTING SPONSORS:

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students find their edge to succeed in more than 140 undergraduate and 155 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education and allied human services, and honors studies, as well as a School of Law. With a student faculty ratio of 14 to 1, its professors teach small classes averaging 23 students that emphasize interaction, critical thinking and analysis. Hofstra offers a faculty whose highest priority is teaching excellence, cutting edge technology, extensive library resources, internships and special educational programs that appeal to their interests and abilities. The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future.

LISTnet was started in 1997 and has grown to more than 1,000 companies with 80 Corporate Sponsors. On Long Island, LISTnet is synonymous with Technology and represents the interests of software and technology industries. They run major events like LISA (L.I. Software Awards), TechMelt (Technology Conference), T3 (cubed) – Twenty Top Techies and BEST (Business Excellence Strategies and Trends). There are 14 SIG’s (Special Interest Groups) in many different disciplines, plus six Councils including a CEO, CIO, CFO, Tech Mentoring and Tech Young Executive Council. They also have an incubator for start-up software companies in Bethpage at Briarcliffe College. LISTnet is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to promote growth for the Technology Industry and companies on Long Island. The organization’s success is due to heavy involvement from members, called partners, and a belief in working together for the common good.

Grant Thornton LLP is the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd, one of the six global accounting, tax and business advisory organizations. Through member firms in more than 100 countries, including 51 offices in the United States, the partners and employees of Grant Thornton International Ltd member firms provide personalized attention and the highest quality service to public and private clients around the globe.

Jaspan Schlesinger LLP is one of Long Island’s premier full service law firms. Founded in 1946, the Firm’s 60 attorneys provide quality legal services in virtually every area of practice. The Firm’s Practice Areas include: complex commercial litigation; education and municipal matters; bankruptcy, reorganization and creditors’ rights; banking and financial services; corporate and commercial transactions; real estate; tax certiorari and condemnation matters; land use and zoning; labor; estates and trusts; taxation; and environmental matters. Jaspan Schlesinger LLP serves clients that operate locally, nationally and globally.

Bethpage Federal Credit Union is a full-service financial institution, committed to providing members with extraordinary value and service, anytime, anywhere. BFCU is headquartered on Long Island in Bethpage and has assets of more than $3 billion with a broad membership base of approximately 162,036 members nationwide. Members represent a diverse cross-section of the Long Island economy, including employees of many of the largest firms in the high tech, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, legal and service industries.

Corporate Sponsor:

Coldwell Banker has grown to become one of the premier residential real estate organizations in the world. Founded on a commitment to professionalism and customer service that continues to be the core of its business philosophy, Coldwell Banker is an award-winning innovator in the use of Web site services and enhancement. As a leader in the real estate industry, the company has been recognized for its community involvement and social responsibility, with particular dedication to home builds and fundraising for Habitat for Humanity. Today, the Coldwell Banker® brand has a global reach, with approximately 100,000 sales associates’ offices in approximately 3,300 offices in 47 countries and territories, and there are more than 600 Coldwell Banker offices outside of the United States.

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